This invention has application in the field of printing wherein the combination of printing plates, such as credit cards, and multi-layered form assemblies are used. The printing assemblies generally have at least one sheet of paper and a carbon and a printing impression is made on a sheet by impressing a printing plate against a printing assembly. For reducing the distance between the printing pad and the printing anvil and for printing with the application of only a minimum of power, in prior devices a guide mechanism is used, comprising either a toggle joint system or a cam, by means of which the printing pad and the printing anvil can be directed toward one another in the vertical direction. After the printing pad and printing anvil are placed adjacent one another, an electromagnetic lifting mechanism exerts a very short printing impulse on the printing assembly to complete the printing operation.
The printing plates in such devices are horizontally supplied to and from the printing station, as is customary in prior art address printing machines which do not include electromagnetic printing means. It would be advantageous with regard to each operation to have an electromagnetic printing device of the type heretofor described which can be loaded and unloaded vertically, i.e. from the top of the printing device.